Autumn Revised
by Heavenly1
Summary: Autumn Bailey had a perfect life in Edgerton, Iowa. She had a great family and a best friend. And she had just graduated from high school. She had her life planned out for herself. But she didn't know that her father's shattering revelation on graduation


Prologue: I've always thought I had a peculiar name. It's not like I was born in the autumn. One day when I was seven I pondered over it while I played with my doll. Frustrated I asked my mother why she named me Autumn. She looked taken aback by it as if it was strange of me to ask about my name. I thought she would scold me for not controlling my anger but instead she smiled softly, took my hand and led me to the vanity table my father built for her as a birthday present. It couldn't have been that hard since he was a carpenter but, he put a lot of hard work into it and she was delighted by it. She stood me in front of the mirror and stroked my hair looking at my reflection.  
  
"Autumn, isn't it obvious. You've seen the colors of the trees in the fall, the reds, yellows, and oranges. As soon as you were born I took one look at you and I knew that was exactly what your hair reminded me of. And besides autumn is such a beautiful season, just like you, but your beauty won't ever fade away, honey."  
  
It was such a wonderful story and I had always loved hearing it. So from then on all the way through to middle school if I was ever ridiculed by anybody about my name I would tell them the story which would be just the right thing to shut them up.  
  
Chapter One: "Do you ever wonder how we'll end up after high school?" asked Kayla.  
  
She was my best friend we had been friends ever since first grade when Adam Johnston shoved me on the playground because I got to the swing before he did. Kayla showed up and said ' Adam you leave her be before I tell my daddy on you!' he then backed off scared because of the fact that Kayla's family founded Edgerton and it was named after them, also because his daddy worked for Kayla's family. He apologized and walked away. I was in awe of the fact that a rich and popular person like Kayla would stand up for me. After that Kayla and I became closer and she invited me to her home for a sleepover on her birthday. I met both her parents, her mother was a pleasant woman named Sarah Edgerton, who obviously loved having us there but her father who insisted we call him Mr. Edgerton seemed uncomfortable with the thought of having twelve six-year-olds in his home. Apart from that we enjoyed ourselves.  
  
" What do you mean?" I asked back. " We know that you'll become a pediatrician and I'll become a psychologist."  
  
" Well yes, but I mean will we still keep in touch? " she asked looking at me with those blue eyes of hers. I always thought Kayla was beautiful even though she didn't think so; she had cerulean blue eyes and dark hair, which brought out the twinkle in her eyes whenever she was happy. "Of course we will, I thought we made those promises in the second grade" I told her and playfully nudged her shoulder.  
  
"I suppose you're right, we're best friends and we mean too much to each other to just forget."  
  
"Exactly." I said assuring her. I looked out over at the town of Edgerton and realized that Kayla and I had shared everything here from our secrets to our hopes and dreams. It was a huge hill set upon the town and you could see everything from there from my house to Kayla's mansion. We had found it one afternoon when we were nine and just used it as a place to rid our selves of problems and fears. We were there that afternoon because of our apprehension of graduating; we would both be graduating this coming weekend and were very nervous about it. We talked it out and decided to leave I had to go home so my mother and I could go shopping and buy a dress for the party at Kayla's house after graduation. I wasn't sure if we could afford it because I knew that Pop's carpenting business wasn't doing so well and that we were on the rocks on paying bills. I didn't want my parents to feel obligated to spend some extra money on me even if I was graduating.  
  
I mentioned this to Momma when I got home, she spun on her heels took on that fiery look of hers I remembered from when I was younger and said,  
  
"Autumn Bailey you let us worry about the money we are your parents! Now we are going into town to buy you that dress."  
  
I put my head down sorry that I had upset her. She softened a bit and tilted my head up so that I was looking at her and said,  
  
" Honey, I just want you to be happy and have a wonderful graduation. Deep down inside you know you want this dress."  
  
I nodded and apologized. " Don't apologize to me just come with me and pick whichever dress your heart desires."  
  
As soon as we out of the car we went into the plaza and headed straight for the formal attire store, simply called, Formal. Kayla's Aunt Margaret, a pleasant woman, owned it. She wasn't there this particular afternoon but a bored looking saleswoman was. As soon as we entered I saw the dress of my dreams. It was a sleek off the shoulder black gown with a matching shawl; it also had a slit down the side. As soon as I saw it I gasped, after I looked at the price I gasped even louder. That was until Momma gave me that fiery look of hers. I swallowed down my gasps and went into the dressing room to try it on. When I got out of the dressing room Momma clapped her hands together with delight and even the sales woman looked interested and mumbled what sounded like a compliment. It was just something Momma and I didn't talk about we bought the dress and its matching shoes and just walked to the car without saying a word. We didn't speak until we got into the car.  
  
" I'm really glad you agreed to buy that dress darlin'" Momma said, her eyes glistening.  
  
" I am too Momma, thank you," I said and hugged her.  
  
And as we drove off I knew this would be a night that would change my life.  
  
I had no idea how right I would be. 


End file.
